"We hope not, and indeed there are no signs of it. When we reach the head of the rapids we will pull off our heaviest clothing, so that we will be ready for a swim in case we are unlucky enough to capsize, and the things we don't wear we will wrap up in our rubber blankets so that they won't get wet."
"Suppose we get down all right," said Loren. "How are we going to get back?"
"We'll shoulder our canoes and come up the portage road which has been cut through the woods around the rapids. For that reason we don't want to take any thing with us that we can possibly dispense with."
After listening to a few more hints like these, Tom and his cousins set out for the post-office; and having secured their mail they went home by the road that led around the foot of the lake, running at the top of their speed all the way through the woods to improve their wind. Their skiff, patent minnow buckets and dip nets were at once brought into requisition, and by the time the supper bell rang, they had caught bait enough to last them through a long day's successful angling.
